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Penguin Readers Factsheets

Teacher’s notes

Falling Leaves

by Adeline Yen Mah

SUMMARY

INTERMEDIATE

alling Leaves is the true story of Adeline Yen Mah,

who was born in North-East China in 1937 – her

parents’ fifth child. Her mother died as a result of

her birth, which left her father a sad man feeling in need of

a new wife. Adeline’s father seemed never to forgive her

for his wife’s death. He married again soon after and

Adeline’s new stepmother, a beautiful young woman they

called Niang (a Chinese word meaning mother), strongly

disliked her. Father and Niang had two other children

together: Franklin (who Niang loved) and Susan (who

Niang did not love). Adeline and her brothers and sisters

suffered emotionally and physically from their cruel

stepmother’s words and actions – but Adeline suffered

more than the others. Her story is full of pain and

heartbreak, about a young girl always hoping that her

father will be proud of her one day. But it is also a story of

hope. Adeline works very hard in school and wins prizes.

When she wins a play-writing competition, her life

changes. She goes to England and studies medicine and

becomes a doctor. After a failed marriage, in which she

has a child, she finds real happiness with her second

husband. The lives of all the members of her family, as

seen through the troubles of the twentieth century in

China, make this an unforgettable and very interesting

story, which begins and ends with the reading of Adeline’s

father’s will. Niang has left him penniless. She has taken all

of his money and property. When Niang dies, she leaves

nothing to Adeline. The relationship between Adeline and

Niang is painful and shocking, but the Chinese tradition of

obedience makes it impossible for Adeline to be anything

other than dutiful towards this woman.

The government at that time was weak and dishonest.

It did, however, try to make some improvements but in

1911 there was a revolution led by Sun Yat Sen, which saw

the start of a republic in South China. In 1912 the Empress

died and Manchu rule ended. This was a time of great

social change and political upheaval. As modern and

democratic ideas spread, young men cut off their long hair,

and women refused to have their feet bound. These were

very daring, and even dangerous things to do. In 1921 the

Chinese communist party was formed, and for some time

worked together with the nationalist Kuomintang. Sun Yat

Sen even invited advisers from the Soviet Union to help

with the changes. But after he died in 1925 anti-

communists in the Kuomintang formed a nationalist

government under Chiang Kai-Shek and they began

fighting against each other. The Japanese had taken a

large area of North China as a result of the First World War.

They soon began to fight for more land, including

Shanghai, which was heavily bombed in 1937. After the

Second World War all foreign countries gave up their areas

in China, but fighting between the communists and

nationalists continued until the communists drove out the

Kuomintang. They formed the government in Peking

(Beijing) in 1949. The nationalists escaped to the island of

Formosa, now Taiwan, where they claimed to be the real

government of China. The only part of China that remained

under foreign rule was Hong Kong, which had been leased

to Great Britain for 100 years. The communist government

changed many traditional things in China, and not all of

these changes were popular. But no one could do

anything to stop them happening. In 1956, to make the

government more popular and to make people feel they

could express views and opinions on the government Mao

Tse-tung began the Hundred Flowers Campaign

(sometimes called the Double Hundred Campaign). This

was followed by the ‘Great Leap Forward’, which aimed to

encourage speedy economic development. There were

arguments about both campaigns in the Communist party,

and Mao himself was criticised. In 1966, to regain control,

Mao began the Cultural Revolution. He encouraged young

students and workers to form the Red Guards, whose job

was to stop all protest or complaint about the

communists. At this time millions of people, many of them

educated intellectuals and party officials who didn’t

support Mao, were sent to work camps or even killed.

Adeline talks about how Aunt Baba suffered under the

Red Guards in this story. The Cultural Revolution finally

ended when Mao died in 1976.

ABOUT ADELINE YEN MAH

Adeline Yen Mah was born in 1937. In August 1952 she left

her family in Hong Kong and went to England to study. At

University College in London, she studied medicine and

became a doctor. She has written two other books:

Chinese Cinderella and Watching the Tree . She lives with

her husband in California and has two children.

BACKGROUND AND THEMES

Throughout the nineteenth century China suffered from

rebellion, war and foreign take-overs. By the end of the

century the World Powers controlled areas in most large

cities and these areas were not considered Chinese. In this

story, Adeline’s father and stepmother move the family to

the French area of Tianjin.

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Penguin Readers Factsheets

2 Ask students to discuss in small groups the events in

chapters 10 and 11 that suggest Adeline’s:

strength of character

independence

sense of obedience

innocence.

What do they think will happen to her?

Chapters 12–14

Teacher’s notes

Communicative activities

The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text as the

exercises at the back of the Reader, and supplement those exercises. For

supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the book, see the

photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of the factsheet. These are primarily for

use with class readers but, with the exception of discussion and pair/group work

questions, can also be used by students working alone in a self-access center.

Ask the class to discuss similarities between the

behaviour of the Chinese communists towards the

Chinese people, and Father’s behaviour towards his

children. In what ways do they think the cruelty in

society affected family relationships in China?

ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK

Put these groups of words on the board. Tell students

to work in pairs and to write one sentence for each

group using these words. They may use their

dictionaries.

(a)

Ask students to work in pairs and to role-play the

conversation between Mr Lu and Adeline. What else did

they say to each other? Pairs can add their ideas to the

conversation.

will funeral lawyer

Ask students to work in small groups and to discuss

what Adeline learned about Niang, Father and Lydia

and herself at the end of the story. What does she

mean by ‘Falling leaves return to their roots’?

(b)

account pocket money

(c)

divorce disown bully

(d)

strawberry magnolia

(e)

orphan nun board (at a school)

Ask students to draw their family tree showing three

generations, then in pairs tell each other about their

families.

Glossary

Chapters 1–2

bind (v) to tie up firmly

concubine (n) a woman contracted to a man as a secondary wife

flood (n) a very large amount of water that covers an area that is usually

dry

funeral (n) a ceremony, usually religious, of burying or burning a dead

person

grand-aunt (n) the sister of a grandparent

lawyer (n) a person whose business is to advise people about the law

and speak for them in court

obedience (n) when someone does what a person, law or rule tells them

to do

root (n) the part of a plant or tree that grows under the ground and takes

water from the soil

stepmother (n) a woman who is married to your father, but who is not

your mother

will (n) a legal document in which you say who you want to give your

money and property to after you die

Chapters 3–5

account (n) an arrangement that allows you to keep your money in a

bank and take amounts from it when you want to

bully (n) someone who intentionally hurts or frightens a weaker person

duckling (n) a small, young duck

liar (n) someone who tells lies

magnolia (n) a tree/bush with large, sweet-smelling, white or pink flowers

medal (n) a round, flat piece of metal, with pictures and words on it, given

to someone who has won a competition or who has done something

brave

orphan (n) a child whose parents are both dead

pocket money (n) money given to a child by its parents

tram (n) an electric vehicle for carrying passengers, which moves along

the street on metal tracks

whip (n) a long, thin piece of leather or rope with a handle, used for

making animals move faster or for hitting people as punishment

Chapters 6–8

board (v) to get meals and lodging for payment

nun (n) a member of a group of religious women that lives together apart

from other people

orphanage (n) a place where orphans live

strawberry (n) a soft, red, juicy fruit that grows on plants near the

ground.

Chapters 9–11

anaesthetist (n) a person whose job is to stop someone having an

operation feeling pain

chairman (n) the head of a large organization or company

divorce (n) the official end of a marriage

on call (adj) when someone is not at work but must be available if needed

prejudice (n) an opinion not based on knowledge or reason

professor (n) a teacher of the highest rank in a university department

Chapters 12–14

Alzheimer’s disease (n) an incurable brain disease

cancer (n) a serious disease in which cells in someone’s body grow in

such a way that is not normal and can cause death

disown (v) to say that you do not have any connection with someone or

something

ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION

Chapters 1–2

1 In small groups ask students to discuss the meaning of

the chapter headings. Then ask them to think of other

possible headings.

2 Ask students to discuss in what ways life was difficult

for women in China in the nineteenth century and into

the twentieth. What were the reasons, do they think?

Chapters 3–5

1 Ask students to make a basic family tree for Adeline’s

family. Then in pairs they can compare them and add to

them as there are marriages and births in the story.

2 Ask students to work in small groups and discuss the

effects of the following on Adeline’s life:

(a) her grandmother’s death

(b) her first day at Sacred Heart School

(d) the death of her duckling

Students can then discuss any similar experiences in

their lives.

3 Ask students to work in pairs to prepare a role-play.

One is Adeline, the other is her friend Wu Chun-mei. It

is the day after the school friends went to Adeline’s

house to congratulate her. Give students time to

prepare the conversation with Wu Chun-mei’s questions

and Adeline’s answers. Then ask the pairs to perform in

front of the class.

Chapters 6–8

1 Ask the class to discuss how these characters feel

about Adeline in chapter 6, and why.

(a) Lydia (b) Aunt Reine (c) Ye Ye (d) Victor

2 Ask students to work in groups of three and to prepare

and role-play the conversation between Father, Samuel

and Lydia when Father tries to make them move out of

his house (page 38). Groups can do their role-plays for

the rest of the class.

Chapters 9–11

Ask students to discuss in small groups which of the

following groups of people they feel most sorry for, and

why:

(a)

Karl Decker, C S Tang, H H Tien

Franklin, Susan, Edgar

(b)

Published and distributed by Pearson Education

Factsheet written by Coleen Degnan-Veness

Factsheet series developed by Louise James

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Penguin Readers Factsheets

Student’s activities

Falling Leaves

Photocopiable

Students can do these exercises alone or with one or

more other students.

Match (a)–(e) with (i)–(v) to make complete sentences:

(a)

Activities before reading the book

To protect his son from public criticism

Read the Contents. In which chapter(s) do you think a

character:

(a)

(b)

I believed that if I tried hard enough

INTERMEDIATE

(c)

Even today, every time I smell the sweet smell of

magnolias

is doing something pointless?

(b)

wishes to travel?

(d)

The duckling refused to eat or drink

(c)

begins to think about the years ahead?

(e)

Father took Edgar upstairs and hit him repeatedly

(d)

has very little money?

(i)

one day everyone in my family would be proud of

me.

(e)

dies?

Read the Introduction. Talk to another student. Do you

think that you’ll like reading about Adeline’s life? Why

do you think she calls her book Falling Leaves ? Which

characters do you think you will not like? Have you

read similar books?

(ii)

I experience again the terrible feeling of sadness.

(iii)

Ye Ye made her promise never to tell anyone.

(iv)

with Jackie’s whip.

(v)

and died early the next morning.

Fill in the gaps with words from the story. Try to do it

without looking at the story.

Adeline didn’t have any (a) _______, so Aunt Baba

gave her money to buy a birthday present. Niang

called Adeline a (b) _______ and a liar. She told Adeline

she belonged in an (c)_______. When her father came

home and heard about this, he went to Adeline’s room

with a dog (d) _______. When Adeline’s friends came

to her house to give her presents, Niang hit Adeline

and said her friends were not (e) _______ there. Father

said she had invited them because she wanted to (f)

_______ her parents, The next day Father told Aunt

Baba and Ye Ye that he planned to send Adeline to

Tianjin because she had to learn (g) _______.

Activities while reading the book

Chapters 1–2

1 Match the names on the left with the relationship:

Susan oldest sister

Jeanne Prosper Yen Adeline’s father’s sister

Lydia Aunt Baba’s close friend,

wife of Joseph

Ye Ye Adeline’s father

Aunt Baba youngest sister

Joseph Yen Adeline’s stepmother

Ren Yong-Ping Grandfather

2 What does Adeline think about:

(a) concubines?

(b) binding women’s feet?

(d) her mother’s face?

(e) the money her father spent on Jeanne?

(f) the Japanese in China?

Chapters 3–5

Chapters 6–8

Imagine you are Aunt Reine. Which of these sentences

do you think she said to Adeline, and why?

(a)

Don’t cry Adeline

(b)

I didn’t know you were in St Josephs.

(c)

My husband and two children are leaving Tianjin

and we want you to come with us.

(d)

Your father has given me permission to take you

away.

Answer these questions:

(a)

How did Joseph Yen trick the Japanese when

they wanted half of his company’s money?

(e)

Don’t worry, I will offer the same treatment to all

three of you.

(b)

After her Grandmother’s death, how did Adeline’s

home life change?

Why were these important to Adeline?

(a)

being a boarder, not an orphan at Sacred Heart

School and Orphanage

(c)

How did Adeline’s stepmother behave when

Adeline told her to stop beating Susan?

(b)

her cupboard in the dining-room

(d)

In what way was Ye Ye like King Lear?

(c)

the breakfast egg

(e)

Why did the children choose not to ask Niang for

their tram fares?

Mary Suen

(d)

the play-writing competition

(e)

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Penguin Readers Factsheets

Student’s activities

Chapters 9–11

1 Complete these sentences from the story. Then look

back and see if you are correct.

(a) After greedily eating two boxes of unwashed

strawberries, __________

(b) Because English students were not used to

being close to a Chinese person __________

were mostly private because __________

(d) A few of the most political Chinese students

were asked to leave Britain because __________

(e) H H killed himself in 1967 because __________

2 Are these sentences True or False? If they are false,

explain why.

(a) When Adeline left Hong Kong eleven years earlier,

it was unusual to see cars and people in the

streets after 9pm.

(b) Adeline did not tell her father that the job at the

medical school was an important position for a

young doctor.

was not Cantonese and had a strange English

accent.

(d) Adeline’s father felt bad because she did not have

enough money for the air fare to America.

(e) Byron Bai-Lun knew very quickly when he saw

Adeline that he wanted to marry her.

3 How did Adeline feel about:

(a) Byron’s lies and secrets?

(b) becoming an anaesthetist?

signed the agreement on a house?

(d) Roger?

(e) her father’s advice about her money?

Chapters 12–14

Put these events in the correct order:

(a)

Adeline and Bob go on holiday to China

(b)

Adeline phones Lydia because no on else would

inform her of Father’s poor condition

(c)

Niang and Father visit Adeline and Bob

(d)

Susan visits her father in hospital, but he doesn’t

recognise her

Results of tests showed that Father was

suffering from Alzheimer’s disease

(e)

Adeline married Professor Robert Mah

(f)

(g)

Adeline meets Aunt Baba who asks her to write

down their story

(h)

The children discover that Niang had taken all of

their father’s money and property

(i)

Adeline and Bob have a daughter, Ann

(j)

Father dies and all his children, except Susan,

fly to Hong Kong for the funeral

Circle the words which best describe Adeline’s

feelings at the end of the story towards:

(a)

Lydia: admiration offended insulted grateful

(b)

Father: jealous loving unforgiving protective

(c)

Niang: hateful loyalty sadness shock

(e)

Aunt Baba: peacefulness proud violent

supportive

Activities after reading the book

Write a letter to Lydia from Adeline after Adeline finds

Lydia’s letters in Niang’s bedroom.

Choose one person from Adeline’s life and write your

thoughts about how that person’s behaviour affected

Adeline.

Write the correct names in the gaps below.

(a)

__________ and her friends were not allowed to

play mah-jong.

(b)

Meetings were started against __________ to

‘help her understand her past mistakes’.

Aunt Baba wrote to __________ and asked him to

send her money.

(c)

Twenty-five local __________ attacked Miss Chien

and Aunt Baba.

(d)

(e)

__________ spoke nicely to Aunt Baba for the first

time in fifteen years.

Published and distributed by Pearson Education

Factsheet written by Coleen Degnan-Veness

Factsheet series developed by Louise James

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